A Conversation with Kristen Bell

Watching Kristen Bellwalk into a laid-back café near her house in the Hollywood Hills is like watching Norm stroll into Cheers. She greets the hostess by name, makes a beeline for her favorite seat, and orders the K. Bell special: fried egg whites on rye with lettuce, tomato, avocado, a slice of cheese, and a whisper of mayo. "It's healthy," says Bell, who sports skinny pants, a plum blouse, and suede boots. "But the mayo gives it that diner feel." (Something tells us she doesn't do gravy fries.)

Ever since the star of the CW's cult hit Veronica Mars moved on to juicier roles--as a femme fatale in NBC's Heroes, the mischievous narrator of the CW's Gossip Girl, and the lead in Judd Apatow's Forgetting Sarah Marshall--she's found it tougher to go unnoticed. Becoming a fixture at a neighborhood brunch spot is just one way she's clinging to normal. Another tactic: staying in. Though she loves the occasional night out with her guy, comedian Dax Shepard, she can usually be found playing Mario Kart with her four roommates. For this homebody, that's life in the fast lane.

Your character on Veronica Mars was the "queen of geek chic." Are you?
I'm a geek who loves fashion. There's been a reinvention of the word geek. It means [being passionate about] anything that's under the radar or sort of frowned upon, like Comic-Con.

Comic-Con?
It's a giant comic book convention, and I've gone for the past four years to represent the shows I've been on. I have friends who wear Star Wars costumes and act like the characters all day. I may not be that deep into it, but there's something great about loving what you love and not caring if it's unpopular.

That's so un-Gossip Girl. What's it like being cattiness incarnate?
I channel that voice everybody's had in her head since grade school. It's the critical voice that pops up when you see somebody who's wearing mom jeans, you know what I mean? It's a defense mechanism--that's what cattiness and gossip are. You're worried that someone is thinking something bad about you, so you think it about them first.

Do you know who Gossip Girl is?
She isn't a physical being. Gossip Girl is a slambook, she's the Internet, she's where secret thoughts are written.

Bill Hader, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Kristin Wiig--they've all worked with Apatow before. Was it a hard clique to break into?
They're a very welcoming and warm group, but definitely intimidating because they do a lot of improv. I had to be ready for anyone to throw any-thing at me.

Your character is a heartless actress. Yet somehow she's still likable.
Sarah was written in a beautiful way: She's not just the antagonist or the victim. Typically in romantic comedies, one person is demonized and the other isn't. But this is like Knocked Up; all the lines are blurred. Nobody's really at fault, and that's how reality is. Sarah is probably 25 percent bitch, 25 percent airhead, and 50 percent real.

Who do you hang out with when you're not working?
Ryan Hansen, an actor from Veronica Mars, and his wife are two of my dearest friends. My others are law students, a preschool teacher, a stand-up comic, a hairstylist. Every Tuesday we have dinner at a restaurant down the street to catch up.

Establishing rituals with friends is incredibly comforting.
Exactly, because in L.A. there's not a lot of consistency. Everything is fun, but if you're a security-driven person like I am, having that group of friends is important. These are the people you can call when you need to get to the airport at the last minute.

How are you security-driven?
I'm more of a homebody. I'm constantly asked: "Why don't we see you out?" But that's not what drives me. I prefer to have people over--which I do a lot, because I bought a house that's way too big for me, and four of my friends live there.

So there's five of you in one house? How big is big?
It's about 5,500 square feet and has two beautiful acres with bobcats and deer. The front room has no furniture and you can slide through it in your socks, so we call it the dance-party room. It may sound bizarre, but it's really fun. I'll walk downstairs and my friends will be hanging out in the living room playing Guitar Hero.

Do you worry that your low-key life will change?
I'm not going to become anybody I don't want to become. But I've been followed by photographers a lot lately, and it makes me insecure. There's a guy who comes to this restaurant and sits in the back or across the street and waits for me. It's so annoying.

Does dating Dax make the paparazzi even worse?
It amplifies the feeling that everything I do is looked at, and it makes me hyper-aware and insecure. You're on display when you really don't want to be. That's why I've become more reclusive. At my house with my friends, I don't need to deal with that stuff.

Do you try to lose the ones who trail you by car?
Yes, but I have to stay in check because I really like [the video game] Mario Kart, and have to remind myself, "You are in real traffic!" It's scary because the photographers run red lights. So by making them chase me, I could cause an accident, and nothing is worth risking that. I could complain about this all day, but everybody's job has downfalls. Some people are in an office and their butts fall asleep in their chairs; this is just what I have to deal with.

Speaking of butts, how do you keep yours small?
I made a New Year's resolution five years ago to always take the stairs. Even at the airport, I won't take the escalators. I find that those little bits of exercise make a difference. I also do yoga to stay aware of my body, and train twice a week to build muscle.

You're an avid animal-rights supporter. When's the last time you ate meat?
When I was 11. My mom was a nurse, and when I stopped eating meat she made me learn how to do it in a healthy way. It's not just protein you might lose out on; it's magnesium and zinc and other things animals provide. I try to eat more fresh foods than processed ones, and the grainiest bread possible.

Do you count calories?
I find it almost comforting to count calories, because it makes me conscious of what I'm eating. But on Super Bowl Sunday, I thought, "Surrender to it. It's nacho time." Then I ate nothing but Doritos all day.

Laugh track - Five flicks that leave Bell in stitches1. Waiting for Guffman
Amateur theater. Eugene Levy. Dairy Queen! What's not to love?2. The Jerk
Steve Martin is a lovable loser raised by a poor black family with a dog named Shithead.3. Strangers with Candy
Amy Sedaris as a heroin addict/boozehound who goes back to high school.4. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
A holiday disaster, Griswold family-style.5. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Aaaaalrighty then!

Creature comforts - The animal-friendly actress's favorite finds1. Uncle Eddies Vegan Cookies
"It doesn't even matter that they're vegan. They're simply the best cookies. Ever!"2. Seventh Generation laundry detergent in lavender
"I have very sensitive skin but because it's all-natural, the fragrance isn't irritating."3. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps in peppermint
"These soaps can be used for anything. The peppermint is nice for a foot soak at the end of the day."4. Heather Heron "luxury hemp" handbags
"Designer bags that are animal friendly: Enough said."5. Hamadi Shea Leave In Daily Conditioner/Styling Cream
"Tested on actresses, not animals."

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